Security capsule with breakable reservoir and cutter

ABSTRACT

A safety capsule ( 1 ) with a reservoir ( 2 ) is breakable by means of a cutter ( 3 ), and is usable for single-dose or multi-dose containers. The capsule comprises a cap ( 4 ) associated to a mouth ( 7 ) of the container, in which the reservoir ( 2 ) destined to contain the cutter ( 3 ) is afforded, and a closing cover ( 5 ), provided with a security strip ( 6 ); first connecting means ( 4   a,    6   a,    4   e,    5   d ) prevent, with the security strip ( 6 ) unbroken, an axially-directed translation between the cover ( 5 ) and the cap ( 4 ); second connecting means ( 4   b,    5   b ), when the capsule is unopened, render the cover ( 5 ) and the cap ( 4 ) solid in rotation in a screwing-on direction of the cap ( 4 ) on the mouth ( 2 ) and free in rotation in an unscrewing direction of the cap ( 4 ) on the mouth ( 2 ); third connecting means ( 4   c,    5   c ) render the cover ( 5 ) and the cap ( 4 ) solid in rotation when the cover is in the lower position (B) thereof.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a security capsule with a breakable reservoirand cutter.

BACKGROUND ART

The prior art comprise packs, both single-dose and multi-dose, whichcomprise a container, containing a liquid, on which is mounted a closingcapsule, of various types; a reservoir is arranged internally of theclosing capsule, provided with a breakable bottom, internally of whichthere is a cutter element which following a pressure exerted thereoncauses the breakage of the breakable bottom. A substance is contained inthe reservoir, in general powder or granules, which on breaking thebreakable bottom of the reservoir, falls into the container and isdissolved in the liquid contained in the container. In this way thedesired solution is prepared at moment of use.

At times it happens that the user, perhaps distracted or not familiarwith the correct use of these capsules, removes the capsule from thecontainer, or removes the cutting element from the reservoir, withoutthe reservoir's having been broken and thus without the substancecontained in the reservoir entering the container and dissolving in theliquid to give rise to the desired solution.

Both these manoeuvres lead to considerable drawbacks: if the capsule isremoved from the container, the user drinks only the solvent withoutobtaining any of the effects desired by the administration of thesolution; if the cutting element is removed from the reservoir thepowders contained within, apart from degrading on coming into contactwith the air, can be dispersed and in any case it is hard tosubsequently insert them in the container.

The aim of the present invention is to obviate the drawbacks byproviding a capsule which enables the known-type capsules to be used,and which does not enable the container to be opened before the powderscontained in the reservoir are introduced into the container.

An advantage of the present invention is that it enables use of thecapsule by simple rotating movements.

A further advantages of the present invention is to provide a capsulewith a reservoir which is easy and simple to use.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willbetter emerge from the detailed description that follows of anembodiment of the capsule with the reservoir of the invention,illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figuresof the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the single pieces which make up thecapsule of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the pieces, partially assembled, whichmake up the capsule of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical-elevation section of the capsule of the invention,mounted on the mouth of a container, in the upper position A thereof;

FIG. 4 is a detail, in enlarged scale, of the capsule of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical-elevation section of the capsule of the invention,mounted on the mouth of a container, in its lower position B;

FIG. 6 is a vertical-elevation section of the capsule of the invention,unscrewed from the mouth of a container.

For the sake of clarity, note that the positions indicated in thedescription as “upper—high” and “lower—low”, attributed to variouselements of the capsule relate to a normal positioning of the capsuleitself above a container in an erect position resting with the bottomthereof on an underlying plane.

In the FIG. 7 denotes the mouth of a container (not shown in itsentirety) which is closed by a capsule 1 of the present type. Thecapsule, as almost all the known capsules of this type, exhibits asubstantially cylindrical conformation.

A reservoir 2 is associated to the capsule 1, in a way which will bemore fully described herein below, which reservoir 2 can containsubstances, in particular powders or granules. This type of capsule, aswith capsules of known type, is normally used for single-dose ormulti-dose containers that are used to provide a solution of a substancecontained in the reservoir, which immediately before use is made tofall, usually by force of gravity, into a solvent, generally a liquidsolvent, contained in the container. The fall of the substance into thesolvent is caused by the breakage of a breakable bottom of the reservoir2 obtained, as in known-type capsules, by means of a cutter 3 which isnormally constituted by a superiorly-closed cylindrical element having afluted bottom which can be opened by pressing on the bottom of thereservoir and breaking the bottom open. The cutter occupies a large partof the internal space of the reservoir, so that often the cutter itselfacts as a reservoir for at least a part of the substances contained.Also in known-type applications, the cutter is snugly inserted in thereservoir and can further be provided with a stop which inserts in acavity of the reservoir and which makes the cutter difficult to extractcompletely from the reservoir.

The capsule 1 of the invention comprises a closing cap 4 of the mouth 7of the container which contains the solvent; the cap 4 is fixed on themouth of the container by a threaded coupling; the connection isremovable such as to enable both screwing-on of the capsule on thecontainer during assembly or closure after first use thereof, andopening of the container once the liquid-substance solution has beenobtained. The cap 4 is normally made of an elastically-deformableplastic material.

The reservoir 2 is afforded in the cap, the reservoir 2 developingtowards the inside of the container starting from the upper surface ofthe cap. The reservoir 2 is preferably made by moulding in a singlepiece with the cap itself. When the cap is screwed onto the mouth of thecontainer, the upper surface thereof strikes against the upper part ofthe mouth 7 of the container to define the maximum screwed-up positionof the cap on the mouth. The cap 4 is further normally provided with aninternal stop, visible in the figures, which inserts in the mouth of thecontainer to better fix the positioning of the cap on the containeritself, and to guarantee sealing thereof. The cutter 3 is a separatepart and is inserted in the reservoir 2 such that the upper wall thereofextends upwards with respect to the upper surface of the cap 4.

The capsule further comprises a closing cover 5 which is provided with asecurity strip 6 connected to the lower part thereof, with an easy-breakconnection. The cover is normally made of a not-greatly-deformableplastic material. The cover is associated to the cap 4 such as to makethe cap inaccessible from the outside and such as to press, following adownwards translation, on the upper wall of the cutter 3. The closingcover 5 is normally, with the capsule whole, in an upper position A(shown in FIG. 3) in which the security strip is whole and the lowersurface of the strip 6 is in contact with the lower part of the cap 4.In this position the internal wall of the cover 5 is not in contact withthe upper wall of the cutter 3. When the security strip breached theclosing cover 5 can translate with respect to the cap 4 and in an axialdirection, between the upper position A and a lower position B(illustrated in FIG. 5) in which the security strip has been removed andthe lower surface of the cover 5 is in contact with the lower part ofthe cap 4; during this translation, the internal wall of the cover 5comes into contact with the upper wall of the cutter 3.

A threaded coupling is provided between the cap 4 and the cover 5, whichcoupling comprises a threaded zone 4 d, which is fashioned on theexternal wall of the cap 4, and comprises at least a tract of thread 5 dfashioned on the internal wall of the cover 5. This tract of thread 5 dhas further functions, which will be better described herein below.

Two or three tracts of thread 5 d are advantageously fashioned, whichare arranged in such a way as not to interfere with the threaded zone 4d when the cover is in the position A and such as to enter into grippingcontact with the threaded zone 4 d when the security strip 6 is removedand the cover is slightly lowered down on the cap.

For reasons which will better emerge during the course of the followingdescription, the easy-break connection between the security strip 6 andthe closing cover 5, a connection which as usually happens developsalong a circumferential line which exhibits connecting struts betweenthe cover and the strip, exhibits, on at least a part thereof, afrontally-engaging profile 56, teeth of which are fashioned partly onthe cover 5 and partly on the strip 6; in other words the connectingline is not a circumference but, at least in some tracts thereof,exhibits square arches which define, on the cover and on the strip,teeth and recesses of the frontal engagement 56.

The capsule of the invention comprises first connecting means, betweenthe cover 5 and the cap 4, which, when the strip 6 is whole or when thecapsule has not yet been opened for the first time, preventaxially-directed translation between the cover and the cap. In theillustrated embodiment these first connecting means comprise a firstannular meeting plane 6 a which is fashioned inferiorly on the securitystrip 6; when the capsule is in its upper position A, this first annularplane 6 a rests on a second annular meeting plane 4 a which is fashionedexternally of the cap 4 and prevents any further descent of the coverwith respect to the cap, but would not prevent its rising; in order toprevent the rising of the cover with respect to the cap, i.e. totallypreventing the reciprocal movements of axial translation of the twoelements, the first means further comprise an annular projection 4 e,which is fashioned superiorly on the cap 4, below which, when thecapsule is in the position A thereof, an internal annular projection 5 dis arranged, fashioned internally of the cover 5. This first means doesnot however prevent rotation between the two elements.

Preferably, as happens in the illustrated embodiment in the figures, theinternal annular projection 5 d is represented by the tracts of thread 5d. There is, therefore, a zone on the cap 4 between the annularprojection 4 e and the threaded zone 4 d in which the elements 5 d arearranged when the capsule is whole. These elements 5 d therefore have adouble function: together with the projection 4 e they prevent the coverfrom rising with respect to the cap when the capsule is whole, whiletogether with the threaded zone 4 d they allow the screwing of the coveronto the cap when the security strip 6 is removed.

The capsule of the invention further comprises second connecting means,located between the cover 5 and the cap 4, which when the capsule iswhole render the cover and the cap solid in rotation in the screwingdirection of the cap 4 onto the mouth 2, leaving them free in rotationin the unscrewing direction. In the illustrated embodiment the secondconnecting means comprise a plurality of first projections 4 b whichhave a saw-tooth section and which are arranged, in a radial direction,on the upper surface of the second annular meeting plane 4 a affordedexternally of the cap 4. The first projections 4 b couple with aplurality of second projections 6 b also having saw-tooth shaped teeth,which are arranged in a radial direction on the lower surface of thefirst annular meeting plane 6 a, fashioned inferiorly on the securitystrip 6. The sections of the first and second projections have oppositeinclinations such that the projections engage with one another duringthe stage of screwing-on of the cover on the cap and slide with respectto one another during the stage of unscrewing the cover from the cap.

The capsule of the invention further comprises third connecting meanswhich render the cover and the cap solid in rotation in any directionwhen the cover is in the lower position B thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment the third connecting means comprise afirst cogged crown 5 c, which is fashioned on the internal wall of thecover 5, which engages in a second cogged crown 4 c, fashionedsuperiorly of the cap 4, when the cover 5 is in the lower position B.Preferably, as shown in the figures, the second crown 4 c is fashionedon the annular projection 4 e; the first crown 5 c is arranged,internally of the cover 5, in a position such as not to interfere withthe second crown 4 c when the capsule is whole.

In other words, the crowns 5 c and 4 c constituted a sort of engagementwith frontal teeth that engage when the cover is in a lower position B.

The use of the capsule is as described herein below.

The capsule 1, which as mentioned is realised in three distinct pieces,is assembled by the constructor who inserts the cutter 3 containing thesubstance to be mixed with the contents of the container on which thecapsule will be applied in the reservoir 2. The cap 4 is then coveredwith the cover 5; this operation, performed by a press-fitting, ispossible thanks to the elastic deformability of the cap which can deformin a radial direction and allow passage of the annular projections 5 d,present internally of the cover, over the annular projection 4 c presenton the cap 4.

The insertion of the cover 5 on the cap 4 is complete when the meetingplane 6 a, fashioned on the security strip, goes into contact with themeeting plane 4 a afforded on the cap 4; the capsule 1 is then in thefirst position denoted by A in the figures.

In this conformation the cover 5 completely covers the cap 4. Worthy ofnote is the fact that during the assembly stage between the cap and thecutter, the substance to be mixed can be container, according to thetype of machine used for the packaging, either in the cutter or in thereservoir.

Thus assembled, the capsule is inserted on the mouth of the container byscrewing; this operation is done by gripping, generally using automaticmachines, the cover of the capsule and rotating the cover, andconsequently the cap which is solid in rotation with the cover thanks tothe presence of the sawtooth projections 4 b and 6 b in the screwingdirection. Note that in capsules of this type, insertion of the capsulemust be done by screwing and not pressing as a pressure on the covermight cause the cutter to lower and thus lead to the breakage of thereservoir. Note also that the presence of the square arches, i.e. thefrontally-engaging profile 56, along the easy-break connection betweenthe cover 5 and the strip 6, prevents accidental breakage of theeasy-break connection during the stage of screwing of the capsule ontothe container.

The whole container-capsule pack, thus assembled, is ready for use. Inthis conformation the capsule is in the upper position A (FIG. 3) andhas the security strip intact, signalling that the assembly has neverbeen opened. The only accessible part of the capsule is the cover, andit is only by acting on the cover that the following operations can beperformed; in this position it is not possible to unscrew the capsule asthe cap is not solid in unscrewing rotation with the cover; it is alsonot possible to perform a further screwing of the capsule inasmuch asthe cap strikes against the mouth of the container; finally, an axialtranslation of the cover with respect to the cap is not possible as thisoperation, thanks to the presence of the first connecting means, can bedone only by breaking the security strip and thus making it obvious thatthe capsule has been opened. The presence of the frontally-engagingprofile 56 further prevents the user from inadvertently breaking theeasy-break connection by forcing a possible screwing movement of thecover on the cap which, in the absence of the frontal engagement 56,would cause rupture between the connection 5 and the strip 6.

At moment of use the security strip is broken, i.e. it is removed in aknown way, enabling a downwards translation of the cover with respect tothe cap. In this situation too it is not possible, thanks to thepresence of the annular projections 4 e and 5 d, to raise the capsule,and it is therefore not possible to open the container.

Thus cover 5 is therefore pushed slightly downwards up to inserting thetracts of thread 5 d on the threaded zone 4 d; the further descent ofthe cover on the cap is done by screwing the cover on the cap, madepossible by the threaded coupling between the two elements. Thismovement, which brings the capsule into its lower position B (FIG. 5),causes the descent of the cutter with respect to the reservoir, thebreakage of the bottom of the reservoir and the consequent falling intothe container of the substance contained in the reservoir. Note thatwith respect to a pressing movement, the rotation movement causing thebreaking of the bottom of the reservoir is much easier for the user.Note also that in order to cause the descent of the container onto thecap, a screwing movement has been described, evidently obtained with aright-wise thread coupling; should a lowering of the container on thecap using an unscrewing direction be required, it will be necessary toadopt a left-wise thread coupling between the container and the cap.

This lowering movement of the container on the cap also brings the crown5 c to engage with the crown 4 c and thus solidly engages the cover andthe cap in rotation; cover and cap are therefore solid in axialtranslation inasmuch as the threaded coupling existing between the coverand the cap does not permit an axial translation by raising between thetwo elements. It is thus possible to unscrew the cover, and the capwhich is solid in rotation therewith, and open the container to gainaccess to the contents thereof.

With the capsule of the invention it is not possible to open thecontainer without the mixing of the substance contained in the reservoirwith the contents of the container having taken place; nor is itpossible to extract the cutter from the reservoir in order to accede tothe contents of the reservoir, without causing the breakage of thesecurity strip and in any case the visible deformation of the capsule.The capsule, in its position B can, finally, be used as a normalscrew-cap, for re-closing the container if the container is of themultidose type.

1. A safety capsule (1) with a reservoir (2) which is breakable by meansof a cutter (3), for single-dose or multi-dose containers, of a typeusable for mixing substances with liquids at moment of use andcomprising: a cap (4) associated to a mouth (7) of the container bymeans of a threaded coupling, an upper surface of which cap (4), fromwhich the reservoir extends towards an inside of the cap (4), strikesagainst an upper part of the mouth (7) of the container to define aposition of maximum screwing-on of the cap (4) on the mouth (7); aclosing cover (5), provided with a security strip (6) connected to alower part thereof by an easy-break connection, associated to the cap(4) such as to make the cap (4) inaccessible from outside and such as topress, following a downwards translation, on the upper wall of thecutter (3); wherein the upper wall of the cutter projects upwards withrespect to the upper surface of the cap (4); the closing cover (5) cantranslate with respect to the cap (4) and in an axial direction betweenan upper position (A) in which the security strip is unbroken and thelower surface of the strip (6) is in contact with the lower part of thecap (4), and a lower position (B) in which the security strip has beenremoved and the lower surface of the cover (5) is in contact with thelower part of the cap (4); wherein it further comprises, between thecover (5) and the cap (4); first connecting means (4 a, 6 a, 4 e, 5 d)for preventing, with the security strip (6) unbroken, anaxially-directed translation between the cover (5) and the cap (4);second connecting means (4 b, 5 b) which, when the capsule is unopened,render the cover (5) and the cap (4) solid in rotation in a screwing-ondirection of the cap (4) on the mouth (2) and free in rotation in anunscrewing direction of the cap (4) on the mouth (2); third connectingmeans (4 c, 5 c) for rendering the cover (5) and the cap (4) solid inrotation when the cover is in the lower position (B) thereof.
 2. Thecapsule of claim 1, wherein a threaded coupling is provided between thecap (4) and the cover (5), which threaded coupling comprises a threadedzone (4 d), fashioned on an external wall of the cap (4), and comprisesat least a tract of thread (5 d) which is fashioned on an internal wallof the cover (5) and is arranged such as not to interfere with thethreaded zone (4 d) when the cover is in the upper position (A) and inorder to enter into an engagement with the threaded zone (4 d) when thesecurity strip (6) is removed.
 3. The capsule of claim 2, wherein theeasy-break connection between the security strip (6) and the closingcover (5) develops along a circumferential line on at least a part ofwhich a frontally-engaging profile (56) is fashioned, teeth of whichprofile (56) are fashioned partly on the cover (5) and partly on thestrip (6).
 4. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the first connecting meanscomprise: a first annular meeting plane (6 a) fashioned inferiorly onthe security strip (6), which rests on a second annular meeting plane (4a) fashioned externally on the cap (4), when the capsule is in the upperposition (A); an annular projection (4 e), fashioned superiorly on thecap (4), below which an internal annular projection (5 d) is arranged,fashioned internally on the cover (5) when the capsule is in the upperposition (A).
 5. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the second connectingmeans comprise a plurality of first projections (4 b), having a sawtoothsection and arranged in a radial direction on an upper surface of asecond annular meeting plane (4 a) externally fashioned on the cap (4),which plurality of first projections (4 b) couples with a plurality ofsecond projections (6 b), having a sawtooth section and arranged in aradial direction on a lower surface of a first annular meeting plane (6a), fashioned inferiorly on the security strip (6); the sections of thefirst projections (4 b) and the second projections (6 b) having oppositeinclinations such that the first projections (4 b) and the secondprojections (6 b) engage with one another during a screwing-on of thecover on the cap and slide with respect to one another during a stage ofunscrewing of the cover from the cap.
 6. The capsule of claim 1, whereinthe third connecting means comprise a first cogged crown (5 c),fashioned on an internal wall of the cover (5), which engages in asecond cogged crown (4 c), fashioned superiorly on the cap (4) when thecover (5) is in the lower position (B) thereof.